This invention relates to the field of swimming pools and, more particularly, to an inlaid tile gutter system.
In the swimming pool industry, it is often desirable to have a stainless steel perimeter gutter system which is capable of handling large amounts of water for filtration. One disadvantage with the stainless steel gutter systems is that they have a very slippery stainless steel poolside surface. Consequently, it is difficult for swimmers to firmly support themselves along the inside pool wall.
In pools used for competitive swimming, swimmers use the upper portion of the inside of the pool to turn when they reach the end of the pool during a race. Typically, the swimmer inverts his body 180.degree. prior to touching the side of the pool and then pushes off the side with his or her feet. Therefore, a non-slippery surface is preferable so that the competitive swimmers may get the optimum push off of the pool wall to more efficiently transfer his or her momentum in the opposite direction. Also, competitive swimming rules require backstroke swimmers to utilize the interior surfaces of the pool's gutter for the starts of their races. The backstroker must be in contact with the sidewall of the pool prior to the start of the race and push off the upper inner side of the pool (i.e., the gutter) to begin the race. The more slippery the gutter wall is, the more difficult it is for the backstroker to get a quick start thereby putting him or herself at a competitive disadvantage from the rest of the field.
Apart from competitive swimming, it is otherwise desirable to have a non-slippery inside upper portion of the swimming pool. For example, lifeguarding classes, swimming classes, children's swimming sessions, wading, etc. would be made easier with a non stainless steel perimeter. As a result, it is desirable to create a gutter system which is capable of supporting a non-slippery surface within the water.
Because of its slipperiness and propensity for deformation, it is preferable to have a material other than stainless steel on the outer poolside surface of the gutter while having stainless steel for the inner gutter lining. Tile is preferably used on upper walls in swimming pools not having perimeter stainless steel gutter systems because of its hardness, non slippery surface and resistance to water. Typically, it has not been possible to utilize tile on the outer walls of the stainless steel gutter systems. Stainless steel is not a surface upon which tile may be successfully applied because tile cements, glues, grouts and mortars do not bond well to stainless steel. Any attempt to glue or cement tile directly to the stainless steel gutter typically results in the tile falling off the gutter wall.
Another problem with conventional stainless steel gutter systems is that the thickness of the stainless steel wall of the gutter is propensive to flexation and deformation. If the wall is subjected to a sufficient force it will bend, deflect or even deform. This problem is compounded with the advent of rolling bulkheads which use the gutters of swimming pools as bearings to support the bulkhead weight. These bulkheads are long spans which cover the width of a pool to effectively divide a swimming pool into two separate pools. The bulkheads are capable of rolling along the gutter system at different pool lengths to change the effective pool size. Because the weight of these bulkheads is supported by the gutter systems, the walls of the stainless steel gutters will deform due to stress placed on the gutters. Bonding tile to the stainless steel is, therefore, further compounded by the problem of the gutter walls bending and deforming due to impacts and bulkhead loadings.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a stainless steel gutter system which is capable of supporting rolling bulkheads without excessive deformation of the gutter walls.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a gutter system which contains an outer surface which forms the upper inner wall surrounding the entire perimeter of a swimming pool.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stainless steel gutter system, preferred because of the smoothness of the inner lining and propensity to allow water to flow therethrough without the accumulation of debris and other foreign substances therein, which contains an outer tile surface forming the upper inner wall of the swimming pool.
It is also another object of the present invention to provide a technique for an inlaid tile gutter system.